Portulaca plant named ‘LAZPRT1617’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘LAZPRT1617’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to creeping growth habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; fully double bright red purple-colored flowers; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Portulaca umbraticola Kunth.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAZPRT1617’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca umbraticola Kunth, commonly known as Wingpod Purslane, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LAZPRT1617’.

The new Portulaca plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely branching Portulaca plants with numerous unique and attractive fully-double flowers.

The new Portulaca plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Portulaca umbraticola Kunth ‘LAZPRT1508’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,083. The new Portulaca plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘LAZPRT1508’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy during the spring of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Portulaca plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy since the spring of 2014, has shown that the unique features of this new Portulaca plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Portulaca have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LAZPRT1617’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LAZPRT1617’ as a new and distinct Portulaca plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to creeping growth habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Bright red purple-colored fully double flowers.     -   6. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘LAZPRT1508’. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of ‘LAZPRT1508’ in flower color as plants of ‘LAZPRT1508’ are darker and more red in color.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of Portulaca oleracea ‘Dynamite Rose’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of ‘Dynamite Rose’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Portulaca are more fully double         with more petaloids per flower than flowers of plants of         ‘Dynamite Rose’.     -   2. Petaloids of plants of the new Portulaca are narrower and         flatter than petaloids of plants of ‘Dynamite Rose’.     -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca and ‘Dynamite Rose’ differ in         petal and petaloid color as plants of ‘Dynamite Rose’ have deep         rose-colored petals and petaloids.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Portulaca plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Portulaca plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAZPRT1617’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘LAZPRT1617’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the spring and summer in an outdoor nursery in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy and under cultural practices typical of commercial Portulaca production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 13.8° C. to 28.6° C. and light levels ranged from 60 to 70 klux. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca umbraticola Kunth ‘LAZPRT1617’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Portulaca     umbraticola Kunth ‘LAZPRT1508’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     29,083. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at temperatures about 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale creamy white             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Spreading to creeping plant habit;             vigorous growth habit; relatively rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches developing at every node; pinching is not required.         -   Overall plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm to 50 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 mm to 30 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; succulent.         -   Color.—Close to 148A underlain with close to 177A and 185B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 1.8 cm to 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 mm to 15 mm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Initially slightly acute becoming more rounded with             development.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; when exposed             to full sunlight, margins become closer to 185B in color;             venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 148B; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; succulent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description: Fully double rotate flowers clustered in     terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with potentially about 20 to     50 flowers developing per inflorescence during the flowering season;     flowers face mostly upright; flowers remain open during the day and     early evening and do not close until late at night.     -   -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             to eight weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             recurrently from mid-spring to mid-autumn in Italy.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three days on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 147B.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire;             towards the apex, slightly serrate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 74A to 74B. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 74B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A;             after anthesis, colors become closer to 78A. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 74B; after anthesis, colors become             closer to 78A.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: Numerous, about 100             clustered at the center of the flower. Length: About 1.2 cm.             Width: Variable, about 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Variable, acute to acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 74B; marbling, close to 25B to 25C; towards the base,             close to 25D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 74C; marbling, close to 25C; toward the base, close             to 25D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Two, opposite. Length:             About 1 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             succulent. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—None observed as all reproductive             organs are transformed into petaloids.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Portulaca. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed     to have excellent garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     drought, heat and low temperatures about 10° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Portulaca plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Portulaca plant named ‘LAZPRT1617’ as illustrated and described. 